Philippine Daily Inquirer Digital Edition

Hidilyn Diaz-Naranjo

—JUNE NAVARRO

Weightlifting star Hidilyn Diaz-Naranjo gained more street cred among the most respected peers in her sport when she joined the powerful International Weightlifting Federation (IWF) Executive Board. After capturing gold medals in the 2021 Tokyo Olympics and the recent IWF World Championships in the women’s 55-kilogram category, Diaz-Naranjo has become Asia’s voice in IWF’s 10-man elite group that draws up policies for the sport and its athletes globally. The Philippines’ first Olympic gold medalist, who sits as vice chair of the IWF Athletes Commission, is now expected to play a crucial role in the governing body’s efforts to convince the International Olympic Committee (IOC) not to remove weightlifting from the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics program. The IOC has moved to strike off weightlifting in the LA Games lineup provisionally following allegations of corruption against former IWF officials. The officials have been accused of mounting a cover-up of the doping cases of lifters who won Olympic and world championship medals.

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2023-01-29T08:00:00.0000000Z

2023-01-29T08:00:00.0000000Z

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Philippine Daily Inquirer